White Man's Water: The Politics of Sobriety in a Native American Community (First Peoples: New Directions in Indigenous Studies)

In recent years, efforts to recognize and accommodate cultural diversity have gained some traction in the politics of US health care. But to date, anthropological perspectives have figured unevenly in efforts to define and address mental health problems. Particularly challenging are examinations of Native peoples’ experiences with alcohol. Erica Prussing provides the first in-depth assessment of the politics of Native sobriety by focusing on the Northern Cheyenne community in southeastern Montana, where for many decades the federally funded health care system has relied on the Twelve Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. __White Man’s Water__ provides a thoughtful and careful analysis of Cheyenne views of sobriety and the politics that surround the selective appeal of Twelve Step approaches despite wide-ranging local critiques. Narratives from participants in these programs debunk long-standing stereotypes about ”Indian drinking” and offer insight into the diversity of experiences with alcohol that actually occur among Native North Americans. This critical ethnography employs vivid accounts of the Northern Cheyenne people to depict how problems with alcohol are culturally constructed, showing how differences in age, gender, and other social features can affect involvement with both drinking and sobriety. These testimonies reveal the key role that gender plays in how Twelve Step program participants engage in a selective and creative process of appropriation at Northern Cheyenne, adapting the program to accommodate local cultural priorities and spiritual resources. The testimonies also illuminate community reactions to these adaptations, inspiring deeper inquiry into how federally funded health services are provided on the reservation. This book will appeal to readers with an interest in Native studies, ethnography, women’s studies, and medical anthropology. With its critical consideration of how cultural context shapes drinking and sobriety, __White Man’s Water__ offers a multivocal perspective on alcohol’s impact on health and the cultural complexities of sobriety. Contents 6 List of Illustrations 7 Preface 8 1. Introduction: Sobriety and Subjectivity in Local Worlds 11 Part I: Understanding Alcohol in Cultural Context 39 2. Misrecognizing Local Moral Worlds 45 3. Contextualizing “White Man’s Water” 78 Part II: Women’s Narratives: Social Positioning,Subjectivity, and Sobriety 107 4. Becoming a Person 119 5. Family Lives and Gendered Experience 156 6. Narratives of Sobriety: Reconfiguring the Empty Center 183 Part III: Challenges and Possibilities for“Culturally Appropriate” Alcohol Services 211 7. Reservation Health Care and the Politics of Local Control 215 8. Concluding Thoughts 237 Epilogue 1: Stephanie Timber 244 Epilogue 2: B. A. Brown 247 Notes 251 Works Cited 257 Index 275 "Erica Prussing provides the first in-depth assessment of the politics of native sobriety by focusing on the Northern Cheyenne community in southeastern Montana, where for many decades the federally funded health care system has relied on the Twelve Step program of Alcholics Anonymous. White Man's Water provides a thoughtful and careful analysis of Cheyenne views of sobriety and the politics that surround the selective appeal of Twelve Steps approaches despite wide-ranging local critiques. Narratives from participants in these programs debunk long-standing stereotypes about "indian drinking" and offer insight into the diversity of experiences with alcohol that actually occur among Native North Americans." - WorldCat Intro -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Preface -- 1. Introduction: Sobriety and Subjectivity in Local Worlds -- Part I: Understanding Alcohol in Cultural Context -- 2. Misrecognizing Local Moral Worlds -- 3. Contextualizing "White Man's Water"--Part II: Women's Narratives: Social Positioning, Subjectivity, and Sobriety -- 4. Becoming a Person -- 5. Family Lives and Gendered Experience -- 6. Narratives of Sobriety: Reconfiguring the Empty Center -- Part III: Challenges and Possibilities for"Culturally Appropriate" Alcohol Services -- 7. Reservation Health Care and the Politics of Local Control -- 8. Concluding Thoughts -- Epilogue 1: Stephanie Timber -- Epilogue 2: B.A. Brown -- Notes -- Works Cited -- Index